Versos Sencillos: A Dual-Language Edition

by José Martí

Book Overview

In 1890, the great Cuban revolutionary leader Jose Marti wrote his most famous poetry, Versos Sencillos, in a small town called Haines Falls in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Sincere and intensely personal in tone, these verses form a unique autobiographical expression yet have world-wide appeal.

This dual-language edition of Versos Sencillos offers both the Spanish-language original and a graceful English translation...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786423862
• ISBN13: 9780786423866
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Length: 130 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.1" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Jose Marti's Versos Sencillos

Arrived promptly and in mint condition. Verses as haunting and thrilling as when we heard them for the first time as children. Beautiful, an excellent purchase.

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Thanks, the seller sent the item right away in the condition it stated to be in

How would Marti's reaction be upon beholding what Cuba has become

Marti, also known to decent Cubans as "The Apostle", became one of Latin America's icons of classic literature, war patriot, compassionate human being, brilliant writer and journalist. A man of the times, he's venerated today by every thoughtful Cubano who embraces freedom, democracy, and human dignity. I wish I knew what his reaction would be if he sees our beloved country being raped, physically and morally destroyed, and its flag desecrated by a band of atrocious murdederers, megalomaniacs and hatemongers. Most certainly he'll experience anger, shame, or a wind that blows out the lamp of his powerful mind. Andrew J. Rodriguez Award-winning author: "Adios, Havana," a Memoir

A founder of Modernism

Although Marti is known as the apostle of the Cuban revolution against Spain, what is not usually known was that he was a man of great heart and fully committed to what is best in the human spirit. It is not usually known that some Cubans criticized him because while those in the field were spilling their blood on the ground the others, including Marti, were only raising funds and politicking in the safety of the tobacco factories in the US. Marti galloped in his white horse toward the Spanish formations during his first encounter after the landing. He was shot in the heart and died in an act of self inmolation.Jose Marti was always concerned with the poor, the downtrodden and all cases of inhumanity. He has been accused of communist leanings which is probably correct and was used effectively by Fidel Castro. Many of us who have known him long rather think of him as a Christian Socialist.Marti left a large body of literature behind him. While in the US he met many of our literary figures and was very active in Journalism. Along with Ruben Dario and a few others he was a precursor of Modernism which discarded previous affected and unnatural poetic forms in favor of simpler direct and concised expressions of something deeply felt. When Marti wrote Versos Sencillos he meant exactly that. Some of his verses found their way into the lyrics of Guantanamera. They have a simple and direct beauty.

A New Side of Jose Marti

The thing that struck me about this book is that i always thought of Jose Marti as a sort of revolutionary firebrand. Reading this book, however, I realized what a strong spiritual connection he had with the universe. The poetry is what you would expect from a spiritual teacher like the Dalai Lama. This poetry demonstrates an aspect of Jose Marti's character I never before appreciated.